Attention:
The Passion is not anti-semitic. It tells the story of Christ’s last 12 hours on earth… which means Jesus is going to be hauled in front of the Sanhedrin and the Jews are going to want to kill him. The Romans are going to wash their hands of it. If you don’t believe me, there are accounts of this in all 4 Gospels.
Anyone who feels it is necessary to go an perpetrate violence against Jews because of what is depicted in The Passion has probably already got the idea in their heads and knows fully well that doing it “because of X movie” is on par with the Twinkie Defense in terms of stupidity.
That is all.
now, there was no call to drag twinkies down into this, was there? 🙂
here here!! i so agree!
I agree. Except in the film the Jewish High Priest is the one who give the “blood libel” line. Unless I’m mistaken it was Pilate who said it in the four Gospels. It’s just a little wierd … If Mel Gibson was adhering to a strict telling of the Gospels, why would he have Caiaphus say it?
Sorry to be pedantic, but wouldn’t “Christ’s last 12 hours on earth” be the 12 hours before he ascended? Apart from that, good post. I’m still inclined to think the movie might be a bit cringe, but it’s not anti-semitic.
Actually, “When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of he blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ And the people answered ‘His blood be on us and on our children.'”
Matt. 27:24-25.
Mark doesn’t mention the blood libel at all, but does say that the high priests stirred up the crowd.
Luke also doesn’t mention the blood libel, but does mention that the high priests were in the crowd stirring them up.
John also doesn’t mention it.
This would make sense though, since Matthew was written to Jews, hence all the references to fulfilled prophesy, and to things of Jewish law. His point in writing was to convert Jews – those who had lived their life thinking they knew what was best, and that this new sect was wrong.
Hi Jen. I agree. Isn’t that great. 🙂